True Love?
by CrestOfHealing
Summary: Part Christmas fic, part rant, part not what you're thinking. Enjoy! ONESHOT


**Hello, all! Welcome to my Christmas special! (And if you happen to be a reader of ATTWT, I promise chapter 3 is coming soon! Sorry it's taking so long!!) The rest of my author's notes will be at the end. :D Read on!**

**Disclaimer: Nope. Still don't own it. Or the movie I very vaguely referenced!**

**True Love?

* * *

**

"Augh!"

And with that, Tai finally lost it. But before his laugh was even out, Matt's foot was under the coffee table kicking him in the ribs.

"Don't even _think _about laughing, Tai," he hissed from his position on the Kamiya's armchair. "This isn't supposed to be a funny movie."

"But the guy's scared of a _ghost_! I've fought a ghost with my own two hands!"

"And we're all _very_ proud, Tai," Sora quipped. "Now shut up and let us watch the movie."

"But –"

Izzy looked up from his computer. "It's probably in your best interest to watch the movie."

Tai crossed his arms and pouted. "Yeah, well, it's in your best interest to get off that stupid comp- AUGH!"

Mimi, having planted her hands firmly on the coffee table (the resulting _thud_ being the cause of Tai's scream), proceeded to glare down at the cowering gogglehead. Off to the side, Matt muttered something sarcastic about Mimi being scarier than a ghost. "TAI!" Mimi shrieked.

Tai cringed, covering his ears. "I get it, I get it! 'Shut up!'"

"Thank you!" Mimi sang, already back on the couch between Sora, who was stifling a laugh, and Joe, who was shaking his head.

"Remind me how I survived in this group again?"

"JOE!"

"Sorry, Mimi."

The digidestined, not quite four months back from the DigiWorld, had gathered in the Kamiya apartment for a movie. The occasion? Today was Sunday, the first full day of winter vacation, leaving five days until Christmas. Of course, they had wasted half an hour arguing over snacks before Sora convinced Tai that they could have both popcorn _and_ chips. In went the movie and now, barely 15 minutes later, Tai was already causing problems.

The kids were in the living room. Well, most of them were. Izzy was technically at the kitchen table on his laptop, and TK and Kari had abandoned the movie for something much more…relevant...

"It's a bird!"

"Are you sure, TK?"

"Yeah! I have a picture if you don't believe me…somewhere." TK, indignant, grabbed his backpack from the floor and began rummaging through it. "I know it's in here somewhere…"

"I believe you, TK."

TK paused and looked up. "You do?"

"Sure! It just doesn't sound like a bird is all." She smiled sweetly at him. "But since it is we can add it to our bird list!"

"Alright!" Dropping his backpack, TK turned back to the notebook on the desk Kari and Tai had in their room. "Wait. Do we add it once or…eleven times?"

Kari frowned. "I think eleven. It's on here eleven times."

"Right. So how many is that?"

Kari grabbed Tai's calculator and pushed in some numbers, reading the answer out loud for TK to record. They continued down the list in a similar manner, TK recording the numbers as Kari entered them in the calculator. A few of the items on their list sparked debates or confusion, to resolve which they searched on the internet. The first such item, however, they couldn't find on the internet, so they decided to go ask their brothers.

"Tai?"

"Matt?"

"Yeah?" Both brothers replied at the same time.

"What's up, TK?" Matt asked.

"Oh, sure. They can interrupt your precious movie, but I can't?" Mimi launched herself at Tai, only to be held back by Sora, who sent a sympathetic glance at Tai. "Why does everyone hate me today?" Tai whined.

"We don't hate you," Sora smiled. "You're just too easy to pick on."

Kari sighed and leaned over the couch between Mimi and Joe. "Are geese mean?"

Tai couldn't resist peeking back out from under the coffee table. "You'd better believe it! Remember that one at the park that tried to bite my hand off? It was evil!"

"It wouldn't have tried to bite you if you didn't have food in your hand, you know," Izzy commented.

"How was I supposed to know geese like chips?!"

Matt smirked. "Food is food. You should know that."

"Hey!"

"Thanks Tai!" Kari said brightly as she and TK made their way back to her room. "I told you," she teased once they were alone.

Crossing his arms, TK stuck out his bottom lip. "How was I supposed to know they were mean?"

Kari laughed and gave him a quick hug. "Sorry, TK. You know I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, right?"

"Yeah, I know," TK smiled. "'Kay, what's next?" And so they continued their project, until TK brought up the next point: "I was in a pet store once."

"Yeah?"

"Uh-huh. There were only fifteen birds in it, but it was real loud!"

"Wow. I wonder what 36 would sound like…"

"Louder!"

And this was not the last of what they would discuss, but let us turn our attention to the older children for a moment. After the interruption, they had decided it was as good a time as any to get more snacks. In the end, though, only Matt and Joe ended up getting food. The others found themselves _otherwise_ engaged…

"I'm not coming out, so you'd better just give up now."

Sora rolled her eyes and leaned over to look under the coffee table. "Pouting doesn't fit you, Tai."

"It does right now."

Sighing, Sora slid off the couch to kneel on the floor. "Come on. Cheer up. We were just having fun. Besides, no one can be in a good mood when you're upset." Tai just grunted. "Would it help if I said I'm sorry?"

"A little. But I'm still not coming out."

"Fine. Hang on."

Meanwhile…

"Come ON, Izzy!"

"Mimi! My computer!"

"Your computer's fine! Now come on!" Mimi tugged on Izzy's arm one more time in an attempt to drag him into the living room. The computer expert clutched his Pineapple laptop to his chest, continuing to protest. Finally, Mimi had had enough of that strategy. Letting go of Izzy's arm, she stood behind him.

"Mimi, I already told you –"

"Please, Izzy?" Mimi pouted. "Everyone else is all together in there."

"Except TK and Kari."

"Izzy!"

"Why's it so important that I sit over there?"

"Because!" Mimi leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "You're always off on your own with you're computer."

"And I suppose you've made it your mission to change that?"

"It's not just me! Right Matt?" she called.

"Huh?" Matt warily looked around the refrigerator door. "Mimi, what are you dragging me into this time?"

"Dragging you into?! Since when have I dragged you into anything?"

"Well, for starters, there was that time you made me go shopping with you so I could tell you what looked good."

Mimi giggled. "Oh, right. I forgot about that."

"Exactly."

"But –"

"Meems!"

"What is it, Sora?" Sora came over and whispered something in her best friend's ear. A wicked grin came to Mimi's face. "Leave it to me, Sora. And Matt?" The boy cringed. "You'd better talk some sense into Izzy by the time I get back! TAI!"

A yelp came from under the coffee table. "Not again!" Tai moaned.

Hands on her hips, Mimi glowered down at brown bush poking out from under the table. "Come on out Tai."

"No."

"Don't be stubborn, Tai!" She crouched down and poked him in the ribs. "You and I both know this isn't about what we said."

"Oh? And how do you know that?"

"Because. If you were mad you and Matt would both have black eyes by now!"

Tai finally looked up at her, grinning impishly. "Well then what _is _this about?"

"You're just being a Scrooge!"

Tai laughed. "Am not! Wait…if you figured this out, I'm sure Sora did, too."

"So?"

"So why did she have to get you?"

"Because I can do this!" Mimi grabbed Tai's arms and pulled. With an indignant cry, he flailed his arms and legs, latching onto the table legs, but Mimi refused to give up.

In the kitchen, Sora laughed. "Unless you want that to happen to you, Matt, I suggest you talk to Izzy."

Matt rolled his eyes. "I know my best friend. He's not going to give in. They'll be occupied for a while."

"And I know _my _best friend. She's too stubborn to let him have his way for long!" Sora grabbed Matt's sleeve and dragged him away from the fridge. "Now go! I wouldn't want you to have to face Mimi's wrath!"

The blonde boy grabbed the counter. "Why don't you go?"

"You're just as stubborn as Tai!" She gave him a gentle shove. "I have to handle the food until the conquering hero returns!" Matt looked at her, confused, which prompted a laugh from Sora. "Just go, already!"

Reluctantly, Matt made his way over to the table and sat down across from Izzy. The computer expert looked up briefly before going back to whatever he was working on. A look of pure exasperation crossed Matt's face, and then he composed himself and launched into a half-hearted debate with Izzy.

A clink drew Sora's attention away from the two, and she turned to find Joe, already holding three drinks and a bowl of popcorn, attempting to grab even more.

"Woah! Hold on, Joe! Let me help." She scurried over and took the most precariously-positioned glass from his arms, as well as the two bowls of chips.

"Thanks, Sora."

Sora smiled. "No problem. Besides you looked like you could use some help." Joe sighed and looked away. "Oh, come on, Joe. You just try to be too helpful sometimes. It's a good thing, really. I just…wanted to make sure you weren't overwhelmed."

"Are you sure I'm not just a hassle?"

"Are you kidding?!" Sora laughed. "Have you seen Tai and Mimi over there? Now _that's _a hassle!" Mimi had managed to get Tai halfway out from under the table, but the gogglehead was still fighting as much as ever.

Joe laughed. "I guess you're right…"

"That's more like it! Now let's get this stuff over to the living room."

"Tai?"

Kari's soft voice stopped Mimi and Tai's squabble. As Tai repositioned himself back under the coffee table, glaring at Mimi, he said, "Yeah? What's up?"

"How many people fit in here?"

In the kitchen, Izzy glared at Matt, who was clutching a certain laptop to his chest. "If I had my computer I could find out."

Matt, still holding the computer, retreated to the living room. "Then guess."

"Fine…forty, maybe fifty, I'd say. Why?"

Kari smiled. "No reason. Me and TK were just wondering."

"What are you two working on, anyway?" Sora asked.

"Um…nothing?" Kari stammered, quickly disappearing into her room.

"That was…weird…" said Joe.

Mimi had to agree. "I'll say!"

Shaking off Kari's weird behavior, the older kids quickly gathered the remaining refreshments and started the movie once more. Izzy, deprived of his laptop, joined Mimi and Joe on the couch, as Sora had moved to the floor. But, as seemed to be their luck, it wasn't more than five minutes before…

"Tai? How many places can someone get a piercing?"

"WHAT!?!? OW!" In his alarm, Tai had forgotten about the coffee table looming over his head. So when he shot up, said table moved about a foot, and Tai was left with a rather large bump on his head. Today was definitely not his day. Once his vision cleared, he scooted away from the table and sat up. "Kari…I hope you know you're not going to get a piercing. EVER."

"What happened?!" TK cried, running out from the bedroom.

Kari giggled. "Tai freaked out and hit his head on the coffee table."

"Why?" TK asked. Kari shrugged. "I guess he didn't know, then? Hey! I bet Mimi would!"

"Yeah!" Kari turned to the older girl eagerly. "Mimi, if you had 40 rings, where could you wear them?"

"Hmm…Now let's see. You can wear a bunch on your fingers, and you can double up some, but I wouldn't wear more than ten on my fingers. Any more would just be gaudy! And you shouldn't wear more than four toe rings at once, unless you want to be tacky. And then you can have a belly button ring, a tongue ring, a lip ring, a nose ring, and eyebrow ring or two…How many is that?"

"Twenty," Izzy supplied.

"Okay…you can have three lobe piercings on each ear, two cartilage piercings on each, and I think one more on each, so that makes twelve total earrings. Hmm…eight more…Well, you could have another on your belly button, I suppose, and maybe two or three more on your eyebrows…another nose ring…Well, we've already crossed the line into gaudy, so if you really want 40 rings, you can add three more to your fingers, I suppose…"

"Okay! Thanks!" Kari called, already turning.

"Wait a minute!" Tai was already on his feet, moving towards his sister. He placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "I think you'd better tell us what's going on."

"TK learned a new song yesterday, and we were seeing if it really made sense."

"It doesn't," TK supplied.

"What song?" Matt asked. Realizing the movie was still going, he grabbed the remote and pressed pause.

"The 12 Days of Christmas," TK said. "Did you know you get 184 birds, 40 gold rings, and 140 people in 12 days?!"

Tai frowned. "So that's what all this is about?"

"That's a lot of birds…" Joe muttered.

"Hey, Tai?" Kari asked.

"Yeah, Kar?"

"I don't think whoever wrote that song knew what true love was."

* * *

…**Okay, so this was supposed to just be a Christmas fic/rant about the 12 Days of Christmas, but it felt kinda empty, so it turned into an exercise in writing romantic couples/hints. So you can read it all as friendship, or you can find almost any couple in there. Well, any boy/girl couple not including TK or Kari. I wasn't even intending either of them to be in a couple, seeing as they're eight, but some Takari slipped in there. Interestingly enough, all the couples were fairly easy to write… I think I may have overdone the sublety on some, though. Don't know if their any good, either, so criticism is VERY welcome!**

**So, yeah. I'd better get working on ATTWT, then, shouldn't I? lol**

**Merry Christmas, everyone! Or Kwanzaa or Hanukkah or whatever you celebrate! God bless your holidays!**

**-Child of Healing**

Word count: 2250 (My oneshots always seem to come out even!)


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